adidas Introduces miCoach SMART BALL

adidas Has Developed A Soccer Ball That Can Make Your Game Better

A few weeks back, Wilson announced their forthcoming smart basketball and created a good amount of curiosity among athletes and techies alike. While the public will have to wait until winter 2014 for that ball, adidas has beaten them to the punch with a smart soccer ball and accompanying Apple-exclusive app.

The adidas SMART BALL is a Bluetooth-enabled soccer ball with integrated sensor technology. The tech measures dead-ball kicking training such as penalties, free-kicks, shooting, corners, long passes and goal kicks. The ball relays data via Bluetooth to the app on how hard it has been struck, offers visual flight trajectories, depicts ball spin and shows impact points.

There is already an adidas miCoach multi-sport app in existence, but the free SMART BALL app is specific to the sensor-sporting gadget. Once the app is downloaded, registration is simple (birthdate and email address). Once that is done, the app gives you instructions on how to properly charge the ball on the accompanying wireless dock (a full charge should get the user around 2000 kicks). After that, you’re prompted to select a kicking foot and to pair the iPhone/iPod Touch with the ball and you’re good to go.

With such detailed data feedback, the ball can help train players by providing coaching instructions on how to alter kicking technique to bend free kicks, launch knuckle balls and generate more shot power. The app is intuitive so it can also make players better via a dedicated training section where users can access tutorials.

The Challenge Yourself option gives a social competition aspect to the SMART BALL. It challenges the user to kick the ball within a certain speed, bend around a wall or try to replicate pro level free kicks. Data from all of these kicks can be saved and compared with other users.

“We're proud to bring the miCoach SMART BALL to soccer players around the world,” said Christian DiBenedetto, adidas senior innovation director. “There was a huge amount of interest in the concept when we first showcased the ball. The testing feedback from athletes has been tremendous and we know users will love the engaging and instructional training this ball will bring to their game. It is another great example of the breakthrough innovation we bring to sports to make athletes better.”

The adidas miCoach SMART BALL is now available for $299.00 at adidas.com, Apple retail and online stores. It's cheaper than a personal kicking coach, but will amateur players and soccer parents be willing to shell out $300 for it?